The Successors
by WriterofFantasies
Summary: After Mercer killed Heller, he was left severely weakened. When two new Evolved take the chance to kill Mercer, what do they do with their newfound power and how does the new Blackwatch react? (Altered events of Prototype 2 and co-written with CaptainPickles.)
1. Chapter 1

**This is the first chapter of the Prototype fan fiction called _The Successors_. It's a new story co-written by me and a friend named CaptainPickles. Since this story is co-written, don't expect common updates. This story isn't a focus point. It's a fun little project between me and a friend. Ergo, yes, it's a self-insert.**

 **As with all my stories, it doesn't follow the storyline perfectly, although does follow a decent portion of it. Overall, I'm rather interested to see how this will turn out.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Prototype.**

XXX

A little over sixty men and women in black uniforms entered into a large room from an open door. They walked in single file and filled the seats, all sitting down and facing a large screen.

The room itself was rather large, roughly twenty meters by thirty. It was, obviously, rectangular, being wider than it was long. An aisle led between two blocks of chairs, each block housing roughly fifty chairs.

In front of the screen was a small stage. On stage, a young woman walked to the center and began speaking.

"Welcome, recruits, to Blackwatch. This is not the originally Blackwatch that was destroyed by Zeus, nor is it the one that fought against Iapetus. We are a complete remake of the original. No one from the original company is working here now. We have been made far more competent. We also take our orders directly from the President."

"Now, I'm sure many of you know the history of Zeus and Iapetus, Mercer and Heller, and the story that they destroyed each other in battle. That was a cover story. The truth was that in the battle, Mercer killed Heller, but was left so severely weakened that two new Evolved managed to kill and absorb him."

The screen cut on and displayed a scene of a battle. It took place on a rooftop, high above the ground. Two beings were locked in deadly combat. One was an athletic looking man covered in a black jacket. The other was a buff man. Their figures were twisted with a blade as one's arm and two claws as the other's hands. This was the final battle between Zeus and Iapetus. The view was that off a helicopter circling the building. Over the roar off the engine and wind, one line could be heard erupting from Iapetus.

"I will skull fuck you and drain your memories out of the hole!"

The screen showed two other human-like beings watching from a adjacent rooftop. They both wore black coats that covered their faces. One was small and athletic while the other seemed buff. The buff one seemed to be silently laughing. Then the screen switched off.

"Almost nothing is on record about these two new Evolved. There are no records about them. No one knows where they came from or how they became infected. We don't know their intent or even powers. Because of this, we decided to send a group of Blackwatch soldiers to the Red Zone and attempt to make contact. The excursion will be led by General Rike."

A grunt spoke up at that point. "Are you sure that is a good idea? What makes you think that they won't be killed."

The woman smiled, surprising the grunts. "An apt question. The two new Evolved have shown no signs of aggression and killed Mercer. We are not completely sure if they will make contact with us, but it's worth the risk."

The grunt nodded, satisfied by the answer.

"Now, technically the two Evolved are classified as Omega-level threats. The new threat levels are based around capabilities. Alpha threats are the lowest, and are capable of killing civilians and basic grunts if they outnumber the soldiers. Delta threats are capable of taking out squadrons and light armored vehicles. Epsilon can destroy large groups of soldiers and even tanks and helicopters. Finally, Omega are able to attack entire compounds and destroy them."

"This, as I mentioned, doesn't refer to what the infected tries to attempt, but what it is physically capable of doing. This has allows Blackwatch to keep a closer eyes on various threats by keeping an eye on the one's that are more powerful."

The woman looked around at the grunts before speaking again. "Now, any questions?"

No one asked anything so she finished the meeting. "Very well. Dismissed, recruits. Return to the barracks and rest up. Training will resume tomorrow at four hundred hours."

The grunts nodded and stood up and began to depart. One by one they all left the room, leaving the woman alone. She turned and left out of a side door. She walked down a hallway with tile floors and white hallways. Doors dotted the sides until she eventually came across a door no different than the others.

She opened it and entered to reveal five people around a table. They were the council that lead Blackwatch. It was formed to prevent any one person from having complete control over the company. She didn't know their names as they always covered their faces with hoods and never spoke without something to alter their voices.

"Welcome, Alison. How did the presentation go?" A baritone voice asked. None of the figures moved, and the voice echoed, so that she couldn't tell which one spoke. It created a uncomfortable effect.

"It went well. The grunts have been informed of the truth and the excursion is scheduled to proceed at noon tomorrow."

"Good. Proceed as scheduled and contact the two new Evolved. Discover what you can and try to secure their alligience. If we can win them over, that would be extremely useful. Otherwise, we will have to discover ways to terminate them."

Alison nodded in understanding and stood quiet as the council spoke. "Dismissed, Alison."

She saluted to the unknown figures and turned to leave. As she neared the door, one of them called her name. "Alison? Do be ready. You're accompanying the party and to make contact with the Evolved." She nodded in confusion and left the room.

XXX

"Alright, listen up! We are going into the Red Zone today. We'll be bringing basic weaponry. Everyone gets a M16 and a M1911. We are going to make contact with the Evolved, not fight them. If any of you shoot at the Evolved, and they don't kill you, I will. Understand?" General Rike spoke to the three grunts and Alison.

They nodded in understanding and finished loading their weapons and gathering equipment. Rike continued speaking. "We'll be flying into the Red Zone on a war bird. We will touch down in a park and continu on foot to search for the Evolved. Once we find them, we'll establish contact and negotiate. You are authorized to kill any generic infected on sight, but not the two Evolved."

Behind Rike was a helicopter easily able to house five passengers. It held six seats along the walls in rows of two. The door was at the back allowing quick loading and unloading of soldiers and equipment.

They gathered into the back of the helicopter and took their seats. The helicopter slowly took off and they left the Green Zone and head toward the Red Zone. It looked severely different than it did before. The massive viral stalks were gone, collapsed and decayed. Very few infected were walking the streets, only a generic infected or two on each street. Several skyscrapers were collapsed or half destroyed. A large amount of the smaller buildings were in decent condition, but still damaged.

The helicopter touched down in a park and the Blackwatch soldiers filed out. The trees were dead, but the grass was still alive, albeit barely. There was no one in sight.

"Alright. Let's head down each street until we come across them. Keep an eye out for any infected. Even though the Evolved might not attack, the infected will."

General Rike set off down a destroyed and decaying street with Alison and the three grunts following behind. They passed a multitude of burnt-out car husks and remains of the virus. As they passed a large stalk that had died and arched over an alleyway, Rike heard a growl emit from the darkness. She looked over and saw two infected stumble out of the alley. She raised her gun and fired two quick bursts, each destroying an infected head.

The two infected dropped down to the ground, both missing their heads, and Rike continued to walk on, followed by the four other members of her group.

They turned onto another street and Rike stopped, the others stopping behind her. A little less than half a block away, standing on top of an upturned van, stood two beings. One was buff and wore a black jacket and pants. The jacket had glowing red lines running down the arms and legs and crossed the chest. His hood was up, covering his face with shadow.

The other was slightly shorter and wore a white jacket and jeans. He had dull orange viral lines covering his hands. His hold was down, revealing dark brown hair and a small smile.

General Rike walked down the street and stopped a meter in front of the van. The others stopped several meters behind her. She gazed at the two Evolved a meter above her. Even this close, she couldn't see under the hood of the taller one. She also noticed he was buff, with the other one being more built for speed. Looking closer, she could see the buff one would be capable of speed as well.

"Not to often Blackwatch wants to negotiate with Blacklight. Its even a bit ironic, eh friend?" The athletic one asked, looking at the other one.

He nodded and spoke. "Yep. Its actually quiet amusing."

The white-clad one had a slightly deep voice with a tint of humor in it as if it was extremely funny to him. The other held a deep voice and had a no-nonsense tone, showing he wouldn't put up with her bullshit.

"Forgive me of my slight against you. Our names are of no business to Blackwatch, but you may call me Daedalus. My friend here is Pallus. As for who we are, I suppose you can say we are Mercer's successors, albeit we both disliked him."

Daedalus leaned forward and continued speaking. "Now, I believe we have some business to speak off."


	2. Chapter 2

**Welcome to the second chapter of _The Successors_. The update took a while, but I _did_ say that this story wasn't a focus point. Anyway, I did most of this chapter while talking over the phone with Captain Pickles.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own [Prototype] or [Prototype 2] in any way, shape, or form. You have been disclaimed, so this will no longer appear.**

[Manhattan- Red Zone]

"To what... _pleasure_ do I owe you? As I said, it is not often that Blackwatch approaches an Evolved with the intent to parley." Daedalus said, a sarcastic tone.

"What?" One grunt said, clearly not understanding his wording.

Pallus spoke up, obviously amused. "It means, why the fuck are you here?"

Alison stepped foward and spoke to Daedalus, assuming he understood the situation. "We came here to discuss some form of truce or peace; we can't afford to fight each other any more."

Pallus chuckled slightly and Daedalus smiled and spoke. "You mean _you_ can't continue fighting. Pallus and I are fresh and healthy, have Mercer's _and_ Heller's powers, on top of not being sociopathically insane."

Pallus then spoke. "It seems quite clear that it is _you_ who needs this peace, rather than both of us."

The grunts shifted and slightly raised their weapons and Rike shifted into a more ready stance as they prepared for a possible fight. Rike then asked, in a voice that held a hard edge to it. "Is that a threat?"

It did not help that both Daedalus and Pallus chuckled and remained relaxed, though their relaxation didn't matter when they could explode into movement at a second's notice. "No, it is a mere statement of fact. Even though we do not need peace with you, I would like to hear you out. I believe that hearing and considering all options is the mark of a great strategist."

Then, the light-clad man glanced at his friend. "Unlike Pallus, I am not interested in fighting every day of my life for challenge and sport."

Alison cleared her throat and spoke. "I propose a form of treaty between the Evolved and Blackwatch. Its main goal is to prevent any more fighting between our two groups. Do you agree?"

Daedalus leaned back and thought to himself. _She takes me for a fool. She didn't explain any details. If I just agree, I could be walking into a trap- albeit a poorly construed one. I need to know more._

"Surely this 'peace treaty' would be more specific than just 'no fighting.' It seems you are leaving details out." Daedalus said.

Alison frowned. _That didn't work out the way I pla_ _nned._

"If you agree, you would become, in essence, Blackwatch operatives. You would be sent on various missions to help us, whether through recon, assassinations, or assault."

"And what do we get? You can't expect us to start helping the group that was made to kill us for free." Pallus said.

Alison paused as she contemplated the request.

"What do you want?"

Daedalus and Pallus turned to each other and spoke in a volume so low, Alison knew only an Evolved would be able to understand it. After a few seconds, Daedalus turned back to them and spoke.

"You convince your _council_ to give us the Red Zone for our viral use, and leave us mostly to ourselves, and we'll agree to your terms."

Alison paled slightly. _How did he know about the council?_

Daedalus smirked at her as if he knew what she was thinking. Alison calmed herself and spoke. "I'll see what I can do."

"Good. Come back when you have an answer." Daedalus started.

"And not a moment sooner. We'll be here." Pallus finished.

With a massive leap, both Evolved were gone, heading back to wherever they stayed at. Alison and the Blackwatch soldiers watched them run along the walls and disappear into the Red Zone.

"Alright, let's head back. Remember, feel free to shoot any Redlight beings." General Rike said.

They turned around and headed to the extraction point and returned to base, where Rike and Alison parted ways.

[Manhattan- Unknown Building]

"Do you think she'll actually get them to agree?" Pallus asked Daedalus.

"Whether they agree or not is a moot point. The Red Zone is already ours. There is simply no way Blackwatch would be able to retake this and then rebuild it, especially if we actively resist them." Daedalus said.

The two Blacklight Evolved were sitting in a medium-sized room. It was in a surprising good condition compared to the rest of the city, which was possible by the two viral entities having consumed several engineers.

The room seemed rather bare. It held two chairs, a couch, and a television, currently useless.

"Besides, the deal is mostly in their favor. Two Evolved with ungodly powers working with them in return for a run-down, burnt-out husk of a city? They'd be foolish to refuse."

"Speaking of powers, how are your experiments coming along?" Pallus asked.

"You mean the new weapon mutations? Slowly. Its one thing to simply let the virus mutate randomly and hope we get something new, but its another to try to force a controlled mutation. I'm having to learn which genes do what."

Pallus nodded, understanding most, but not all, of what his friend and ally was saying.

Daedalus continued, "After I learn that, I'll be able to actively control the virus, rather than relying on viral memories to shift."

Pallus leaned foward in his chair. "What exactly will we be able to do when you figure this out? Try not to be vague like always."

Daedalus took in an unnecessary breath and started speaking. "You have realized that when we shift a part of our bodies, we rely on what I call 'viral memories,' right? That we simply _do_ it, but don't understand _how?_ "

"Yeah, we just will it to happen, and it does. What about it?"

"It only works because its programmed into our viral coding. If we were to try something new, it wouldn't work because we don't know the science behind it, and its not ingrained in the virus. I'm working on mapping out the genes, which would allow me to program new weapon mutations into my virus, then share that with you." Daedalus explained.

"So... more ways to kill people?" Pallus asked sarcastically.

Daedalus rolled his eyes and smiled. "Yes, pretty much."

Pallus replied. "I'm actually a bit interested in that. What do you have planned for the first one?"

"Well, I plan on it being some form of ranged weaponry. Maybe a blade that forms in our hand and we throw it, or it gets ejected."

"Ranged weapons? We already have some." Pallus said.

"The whipfist and tendrils aren't the most effective ranged weapons. They work, but we have some better possibilities. Besides, we have even more melee weapons." Daedalus explained.

Both were quiet for a moment, Pallus was thinking and Daedalus was obviously focused on something within himself, shown by the vague shifting underneath his arm's skin.

Pallus spoke up. "Quills."

Daedalus opened his eyes and looked at his buff friend. "What?"

"A blade is good and all, but its one at a time, and I don't like the idea of you having a blade launcher. You might decide to test it on me."

Daedalus' smile proved he had made the right choice.

"These quills, how big would they be? An inch?"

"Nah, too small. We need to follow the theme. Every single mutation is a full-blown, obvious body change. I think they should be about three inches long."

Daedalus frowned and looked down in thought. "If they are three inches, then there should be a lot for the full mutation. Twenty or thirty scattered on our arm."

"With that many of them, our arms would have to bulk up a little. Might as well make it look truly infected, black scales and orange bioluminescence." Daedalus mused to himself, forgetting Pallus was there.

"How would the quills launch out of our arms?" Daedalus asked himself, not expecting a reply.

"Angle them toward our shoulder, and when they fire, they get 'flicked' toward our wrist, which releases stored up energy, launching them foward." Pallus answered.

"That could work. A form of elastic tissue would pull it back and hold it in place, and when its released, all that energy would fling foward into the quill, ejecting it at high speeds." Daedalus had a thoughtful look as he worked out exactly how it would work.

"What should the quills look like?" The white and blue clad Evolved asked.

"Hmm, black with red bioluminescent lines on it." Pallus replied.

Daedalus nodded and added his opinion. "The tip should be barbed. It would make it more dangerous and deadly."

Pallus nodded. "Sounds good. When can I expect it finished?"

Daedalus replied, smiling. "Two or three days. It'll take a bit for me to figure it out, but I'll get it eventually."

Pallus nodded and they both focused on their own tasks.

[Manhattan- Unknown Building- Two Days Later]

The two Blacklight Evolved stood on top of a tall skyscraper, one that was in an unusually good condition. Surrounding the base of the skyscraper was a chain of buildings, all interconnected, that circled the skyscraper, leaving one gated entranced.

The courtyard was riddled with destroyed vehicles and craters as well as viral growths. The gate was completely gone and the reinforced concrete frame was heavily damaged.

The surroundings buildings were almost normal looking- if they weren't completely overrun by viral biomatter. It was a Hive. An absolutely massive one at that.

"What is that Hive creating, anyway?" Pallus asked Daedalus.

"When I created it, it was nothing more than a blank slate. It still is. When I need to, I'll have it create infected beings."

Pallus nodded in reply.

Looking down, Daedalus glanced at the destroyed letters on the ground as well as the mass of viral biomass on the wall.

Daedalus looked to Pallus and nodded and they both leaped to the front gate, landing and adding yet another crater to the courtyard. Daedalus paused at the gate while Pallus continued for a little distance before stopping and looking back to his friend and ally.

In front of the two main doors was a destroyed sign. It was cracked and missing chunks as well as an entire letter, but the overall meaning was very clear to Daedalus.

 _Gentek._

Above it, where the sign was, sat a massive biohazard symbol made of orange bioluminescence that glowed brightly.

[Manhattan- Red Zone]

Daedalus and Pallus were waiting at the same spot they had met Rike, Alison, and the Blackwatch soldiers two days before. Several minutes prior, a Blackwatch helicopter had touched down a couple blocks away.

Daedalus could hear the soldiers making their way to the Evolved's current location, the result of sparse gunshots as the Blackwatch shot any infected targeting them.

Soon enough, they rounded a corner and Pallus commented on the group. "They didn't come with a larger group."

Daedalus agreed, adding onto it. "It must be good news if they felt no need to add extra protection."

Pallus smirked. "Good news for us, or them?"

"Now _that_ is the question that matters."

The two Evolved patiently waited for the Blackwatch group to walk the final block. The group consisted of Alison, Rike, and three soldiers. As they approached, Daedalus noticed, with his powerful eyesight, that Alison was mixed between nervous and relieved.

The group stopped in front of the two Evolved and Alison stepped foward. Pallus spoke up before Alison could say anything. "I assume you have an answer? Otherwise, it was useless to come here."

Alison shifted slightly. "The council has agreed to your terms. You will be given full run of the Red Zone, you will be left alone by other government organizations, and you will be given full permission to experiment with your viral abilities in return for being Blackwatch special operatives."

Daedalus and Pallus shared a glanced and Daedalus nodded to Alison. "Very well, but I expect you understand that a piece of paper with a couple signatures doesn't mean anything to us, correct?"

Alison nodded. "The council understands, so you'll be watched while on various missions. If you betray Blackwatch, you'll have our full strength to contend against."

Pallus chuckled and Daedalus allowed a small smile, both of them amused. Pallus spoke first. "Mercer was a psychopath who's strategy was to send sufficient numbers to clog the meat grinder of the American army. Blackwatch couldn't handle him."

Daedalus agreed and continued. "We are two Evolved who are in full possession of our sanity, our memories, and are quite capable of strategy. We are more than able to plan adequately without losing patience. If you betray _us_ , you'll have our might to stand against."

Alison paled slightly and after a moment of no reply, huffed and left, the group of soldiers following her, Rike giving the Evolved a dangerous look, which they smiled at.

[Manhattan- Gentek Building Interior]

"Something wasn't right with that." Pallus stated as they entered their new home.

"Of course. Why would Blackwatch give us the entire Red Zone without any trying to get anything extra? The council has plans. They probably aren't good for us, but they can't do much." Daedalus agreed, then reassured.

They were both silent for a moment before Daedalus spoke up. "I'm going to the roof to try work out the kinks on the quill mutation. I should have it done by the end of the day."

Pallus nodded absentmindedly, deep in thought.

[Manhattan- Gentek Building Roof]

Daedalus was sitting on the roof of the damaged building, his mind focused inward. Daedalus was attempting to design a new weapon mutation, which, while possible, was surprisingly difficult. It would have to undergo sufficient testing before being used in combat.

 _First things first, a way to hold the weapons. All that's needed is to thicken the arm and reinforce it. Let's not make it perfect, just usable._ _Take some genes from reptiles for the scales and alter those right there and that should be good!_

A surge of black tendrils erupted from his right arm, covering it and hiding it from view as it was altered. When the tendrils receded back into the virus, the arm was revealed in an altered state. It was slightly thicker and was plated near tbe wrist. Ths shoulder was massive, easily able to cover his head and provide protection. Throughout the arm was several lines of bioluminesence.

 _Now, the quills. Obviously, that's simple. A point that slims down to a point a nanometer wide should work_ _for the tip, as that would be more than sharp enough. Three inches and about twelve of them._

 _However, before I add them, I need the launch mechanics. The best way is a kinetic system, which is easily done. Like Pallus suggested, I'll use a spring-like system. It snaps foward to fire, launching directly foward. It'll take practice to be accurate, but it'll work._

The tendrils returned, obscuring the viral arm and mutating it further, adding the part that makes it a weapon mutation. When it faded, a dozen red quills with glowing tips were planted an inch and a half deep into the arm, all pointed towards the shoulder.

Daedalus inspected the mutation and nodded, satisifed with the result. He then stood up and held his arm toward the open air and willed the quills to launch. He felt several psuedo-tendons disconnect from the quills and they snapped foward, the speed and force snapping more tendons as the quills exited his arm and flew at high speeds, jerking his arm away.

Daedalus smiled as he lost sight of them, not even his powerful augmented vision being sufficient to track the small, three inch objects. Then frowned as he looked at his arm. _The kick was ridiculous, it shoved my arm away. It wouldn't be smart to fire several at once. Or at least not until we learn to aim accurately._

Daedalus turned around, satisifed and entered the building. He walked down the stairs, using his powerful hearing to discover Pallus' location. He soon located him in a small sitting room.

He entered and saw his friend sitting down and reading something. He only saw a glance at the title and smirked at it.

"Really? You're reading that again?" Daedalus asked, not surprising Pallus, who already knew he was there.

Pallus replied without looking up. "Of course. Its always worth a read, even if I know exactly how the Titan War will play out."

Then, Pallus did look up, and his eyes immediately focused on the weapon mutation. "That's it?"

"Obviously. I've tested it and it works, but I'm sure the accuracy will need to be improved through use." Daedalus said.

Pallus nodded and extended his hand, which the other Evolved gripped. The 'handshake' was really an exchange of viral information, teaching Pallus the mutation. In a familiar surge of tendrils, Pallus' arm was nearly identical to Daedalus'.

He extended his arm toward a wall and Daedalus opened his mouth to warn him about the recoil, but was to slow. A quill launched foward, jerking Pallus' arm to the side, which lauched two more quills.

Daedalus looked at the first, which was embedded deep in the wall. Then, he looked at the other two. He sighed and pulled the quills out of his shoulder, grunting at Pallus' slightly smile.

At the grunt, Pallus' erupted into amused laughter, to which Daedalus sighed.


	3. Chapter 3

[Manhattan- Red Zone]

Daedalus walked down the street, the growls of the infected startling clear in the virus' ears. The viral stalks reached up toward the sky like eternally hungry tendrils, always attempting to eat the sky.

 _With the virus, that's entirely possible. Living beings can take water and grow from it, and Blacklight has the genetic ability to do the same. The sky is nothing but water moisture, after all._

It had been two days since Blackwatch had given them the Red Zone and Daedalus expects the international community to be in an uproar. He didn't care. Let them rant and rave, they wouldn't be able to do anything about the Evolved. Or at least, not if his plans come to frutition.

Daedalus heared gunfire and shouting from a block away. He looked in the direction and saw nothing, absentmindedly noticing the lesser infected. He moved toward the sounds and rounded the corner to see several normal humans shoving shelves and other objects against the walls and windows.

Several infected were banging against the door trying to get in. Fortunately for the survivors, there were no greater infected like Hunters or Juggernauts. Sparse gunshots were heard from the building as the survivors shot the infected through gaps. They sounded like simple pistols and the like, weapons that wouldn't stand a chance when the sound invariably attracts a Hunter with their powerful hearing.

Daedalus gave a thoughtful frown to the event and stood for a moment, watching it unfold. Then, he nodded decisively and raised his hand, reaching toward the infected. He waved his hand to the side and the infected paused, one stopping mid-swing. The break in the assault caused the survivors to stop shooting. They looked confused as the infected stumbled in the direction Daedalus had waved, eventually rounding a corner and dissapearing from sight.

Daedalus watched as the survivors came out cautiously. They spotted him and as they did, he nodded, turned and walked away.

 _Foolish. There is no reason for them to have bunkered down and started shooting. They were lesser infected, easily able to be outran. No, out_ walked.

Daedalus nodded and turned down a street that he knew invariably led to the Main Hive, his and Pallus' name for the old Gentek building. He passed a convience store that still held some wares, abled by the massive truck that was crushed in front of it, blocking the door.

He walked up to the truck and planted his hands on it, tendrils spreading out and impaling the truck, strengthening his grip. He heaved once and the truck crashed to a stop several meters away in an even worse shape. He ripped open the doors and walked into the store, looking at the different food and the like on the shelves.

 _I'm surprised this wasn't raided sooner by survivors and the like, but it would be so if the truck blocked the door early_

Daedalus then frowned and looked to his right, his eyes lighting on the reinforced window, metal bars covering them. From the looks, they were hastily welded on, probably not long after the first outbreak. However, one of the windows had had its bars ripped off and the glass shattered. After the break, enough time had passed for all the glass shards to be cleared away.

 _Even if the truck blocked the door, that window alone provides easy access to the store._ Someone _should have raided this store already._ _There's plenty._

Daedalus turned his attention back to the shelves with a questioning look. Indeed, while there was mostly boxed or packaged foods on the shelves, all of which was well past edibility, there was a large amount of canned goods, some of which would still be good. All it took to find them was know the date and be able to read.

A can clattered to the ground, the noise deafening in the silence.

The Evolved whirled around and faced the can rolling across the aisle. He walked over and extended his viral senses, not sensing any other infected within the building. He stopped at the can and stared at it, seeing that it was a soup can that had been opened and emptied.

Judging from the food specks, rather recently.

He listened closely and failed to hear anything, suggesting there was nothing in the building. He knew he wasn't alone, though. He focused his hearing as much as possible and heard breathing coming from his left.

He approached the counter and stopped near it, hearing something shift behind it. He paused, then stepped around the counter and looked down, seeing a small dog crouched down, staring at him.

He grunted and grinned at the figure before examining it closly. It seemed to be a golden retriever and looked beat up and starving. He then looked back at the can of food on the floor.

 _He may have been the one to knock the can over, but he sure as hell wasn't the one to open it and eat it._

Daedalus hummed thoughtfully as he looked at the dog. He nodded and grabbed a can of food, simply pulling the lid off and knelt down in front of the dog, holding it out to it.

The dog hesitated. Undoubtedly the infected in the streets had forced the dog to be afraid of others. Daedalus didn't move, his viral abilities preventing any discomfort and allowing him near-infinite pacience.

Eventually, the dog limped foward and ate the proffered food, obviously hungry. After eating, the dog lied down and rested, licking its wounds.

Indeed, it was wounded. Its left hind leg was clearly broken and was covered in innumerable gashes and cuts. Daedalus frowned and placed his hands on the dog, brow furrowed in concentration.

 _Well, aren't you a little fighter..._ _I have never done this before. If it works, I may be able to save othere. If not, then it was just a dog that was lost. Its better for me to test it now then any time else._

Daedalus extended tendrils deep into the dog, quickly injecting chemicals into the dog, putting it into a deep sleep. Then, he started studying the cells of the dog, memorizing the genes and creating copies.

 _This is purely theoretical, but if it works, it'll be a tremendously useful skill to know. Now, if I add these chemicals, it should boost production and allow me to recreate the cells._

The virus was centered on the wounds and were using the copies to heal them, using his own biomass to create the cells and splice them into place. Wounds that would take months to heal fully were undone in mere moments until a pristine, but sleeping, golden retriever lied in front of him.

 _Now, the most important and difficult part._ Daedalus went through each and every cell in thr dog's body, removing every trace of Blacklight. One missed cell and the dog was infected. Then he was done.

Daedalus smiled at a job well done and leaned back. _That would have never worked without my control of the virus._

The dog slept quietly. He reached down and injected chemicals that neutralized the earlier ones, allowing the dog to slowly awaken from its slumber.

Daedalus stood up and looked at the dog a final time, noticing it was female. He turned away and walked down the aisles, looking around. He saw a familiar pack of candy that was _somehow_ still good. He grinned and grabbed several packs and walked out the store, munching on one.

He walked down the street and stopped when he heard shuffling behind him. He turned slightly as he looked behind him, seeing the dog approach him. She walked closer and looked up at him, sitting on her haunches.

Daedalus grinned and reached down to pet the dog, who closer her eyes happily. He turned and walked some more before stopping. He turned around and saw the dog still sitting in the street, watching him walk away, almost sadly.

He finished the piece of candy and spoke up for the first time that morning. "Well? Come on."

The dog stood up quickly and made her way to his side, then nuzzled his hand. He grinned down at her and pet her head. He looked where her wounds were, then smiled.

 _You really are a fighter._

[Manhattan- Main Hive]

Pallus looked up as Daedalus walked in. The first thing he noticed was the candy in his friend's mouth. Pallus' gained a look of digust as he spoke. "Really? Why are you eating those disgusting things?"

Daedalus grinned and replied. "They are only digusting to you. Twizzlers are pretty good. Not the best, but still good."

Pallus grunted, unconvinced, and finally noticed the dog. Daedalus laughed as he saw the look on Pallus' face. "Seems your viral sense are slipping. She's been here since I entered and you just noticed."

Pallus leaned against a wall, his quill mutation slightly digging into it. Pallus noticed Daedalus' look and preemptively answered. "I was working on my accuracy. Its gotten a bit better, but not perfect."

Daedalus nodded, understanding, and placed a hand on top of his dog's head. "This is Pugnator. I found her in some store a couple blocks away and healed her. Afterward, she decided to follow me. Now I have a dog."

Pallus nodded, accepting the answer, and went back to improving his accuracy. He held his arm out and shot a quill, making minute adjustments to his aim each time he missed his target, a mass of viral matter across the room.

Daedalus grinned and shifted his own arm into the quill mutation, then slung his arm foward, releasing several quills as he did. Four of them hit the target in a vertical line and the last two missed by centimeters. Pallus huffed and spoke.

"Much better than me but still not perfect."

Daedalus nodded. "Yeah, but I've practicing a lot more than you. Its only natural I have slightly better accuracy. It'll get better with time."

"When are we meeting with our contact?" Pallus asked.

"Later tonight. I'm surprised he's willing to meet with us. Its been a while since our first contact and he hasn't expressed an interest in meeting with us." Daedalus answered.

"I just want answers. Is he a soldier, a scientist, or what? He knows so much of the organization of Blackwatch." Pallus said, to which Daedalus nodded.

[Manhattan- Red Zone]

Daedalus and Pallus walked down the street, heading toward the rendezvous point with their contact. Their contact was an anonymous Blackwatch agent. They had never seen his face or heard his voice. All they knew was his name was Neptune. Or rather, the name he went by, just like how Daedalus and Pallus wasn't their real names.

They arrived at the location, a run-down prison used by Gentek to hold infected, which they would later experiment on. A large amount of infected were still held in cages here, most feral and beyond even the control of Daedalus. It used to be called the Metropolitan Correctional Center.

It was a multi-story compex that was abandoned during the first outbreak. When the city officials realized the severity of the outbreak, they released the prisoners with less horrible offenses. The city needed as many people on the street as possible to held combat the infection. It didn't work. All it did was give Mercer more to infect.

After the infection had taken most of the city, Gentek had set up an Viral Experimentation Lab in the building, caging hundreds of infected for their use. They altered them in such a way that Daedalus' own viral control was ineffective on them.

Daedalus and Pallus entered the complex, which Pallus had to comment on. "He sure is making a good impression by meeting us in the prison used by Gentek."

Daedalus nodded. "It makes a statement, though. It shows that even though Gentek is pretty much over, it still has influence in the events of the world."

Pallus nodded and they kept walking. As they passed one cell, a large shape snarled at them and banged against the wall. An infected was trapped in the cage, completely feral and willing to take anyone or thing that came near.

Daedalus gave a grunt and shifted his arm into the quill mutation and launched three quills into the infected. Two hit the body and the final hit its head, killing it. He reverted his arm back and they continued on.

Pallus spoke while they were walking, asking a question. "How are we supposed to find Neptune in this damn place? Its absolutely massive!"

Daedalus smiled and pointed ahead. Pallus followed his finger and saw a massive arrow spray painted on the wall, pointing up a set of stairs. Daedalus spoke up, amusement in his voice. "It seems he already thought of that."

Pallus smiled a little as well and they both continued up the stairs. They followed the arrows through the building. They ended up on the third floor. As they rounded tbe corner, they both stopped. Standing in front of the door were two Blackwatch operatives.

The soldiers had instantly noticed the Evolved. One knocked on the door and they both stepped aside. The one who knocked spoke up. "Neptune and the Commander are waiting inside."

Pallus and Daedalus shared a look and entered the room. They immediatly noticed the two figures in the back of the room, which happened to be an office. The first one had to be the Commander. He was covered in black body armor and a gas mask. His armor held several pouches and straps for storage. He held an assault rifle in his hands.

The other must have been Neptune. He was cloaked in a black cloak and

also wore a gas mask, obscuring his face and eyes. He was sitting at a desk and a SMG rested on his leg. The Commander nodded respecfully while Neptune looked up and waved a hand at the two empty chairs, to which the Evolved sat in.

As soon as they sat, their contact spoke up. His voice was distorted by the gas mask. "I am, as you may have guessed, Neptune. I am the one who has been supplying you with information about Blackwatch."

Pallus leaned foward and asked a question he had been wondering about for some time. "How did you know about Blackwatch being led by a council? You said it yourself that it was top secret information."

Neptune chuckled lightly, a particularly unnerving sound with his distorted voice. "I know this information because I am part of this very council. I am the Councillor of Troop Deployment. I am the one to plan out mission, send reinforcements, and anything else involving the soldiers of Blackwatch."

Pallus leaned back in surprise while Daedalus just smiled; he had suspected it. Someone who knew about the council, was privy to top secret information, and knew about everything mission involving the Red Zone had to be high up on the command chain. He just didn't expect a council member.

"So why have you decided to help us?" Daedalus asked the, in his opinion, more important question.

"I am rather interested in Blacklight, ergo, _y_ _ou._ Gentek corrupted it with their experiments, and the Old Blackwatch ruined chances of coexistance with their containment and hostility. I believe that Blacklight will allow humanity to reach new heights. Heights that will be unachievable if you are destroyed."

Neptune leaned foward and rested his hands on the desk and continued. "I can not help you physically as you both are dozens of spades above me, but I can give you information to help yourself."

Daedalus frowned internally while keeping his external face a mask of neutrality. There was something more to this and Neptune wasn't sharing.

 _T_ _hat, or he was simply paranoid._ Daedalus thought with mild amusement.

Both Evolved were a little interested when they noticed the Commander was nodding along.

Neptune seemed to realize something as he suddenly stood up and spoke. "I am sorry to cut this meeting short, but I simply must be going. Expect more interactions from me soon enough."

Daedalus and Pallus both nodded and stood up. Neptune and the Commander left and after hearing four sets of footsteps fade away, Daedalus turned to Pallus and spoke. "There is more to his reason of helping us. I have a feeling that he's hiding something."

Pallus nodded, agreeing with him. "I had the same feeling."

Daedalus then spoke up. "Go ahead and return to the Hive. I'm going to follow him and see how he got here."

Pallus nodded and left. Daedalus followed until they exited the building where Pallus left to the Main Hive and Daedalus used his senses to track Neptune. He followed them for several blocks until the trail led up to a wall anf stopped suddenly. He frowned, then snorted.

 _Only way for his scent to stop at a wall is for the wall to really be a door_

He placed a hand against the wall and extended his viral tendrils into it, probing deeper.

 _Any moment now, my tendrils will enter some kind of tunnel and- oh?_

His tendrils _did_ exit the wall, but not in a tunnel or secret area, but in the living room of the house.

Daedalus, feeling rather disturbed, tried downward, but was met with the same result. Now alarmed, he left and returned to the Main Hive. He was completely confused as to how Neptune and his soldiers left.

[Manhattan- Main Hive]

Daedalus entered the Hive and places a bowl of dog food in front of Pugnator. He then continued and met Pallus, who immediately asked a question. "Where did they go?"

"I lost them. The trail led to a wall and that was it. There was no tunnel, or door, or anything."

"Vehicle?" Pallus asked.

"I still would have been able to track them."

"Well shit." Pallus replied.

Daedalus nodded and pet Pugnator's back to her vocal delight.


End file.
